Buttonhole-sewing machine.



B. T. LEVEQUE. BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE.

11 21110111011 FILED MAY 11, 1911. 1,01 9,667. Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

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B. T.'LEVBQUE. BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION FILED MAY 11, 1911. 1,019,667 Patented Mar.5, 1912.

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B. T. LEVB U'E. BUTTONHOLB SEWING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY11,1911. 1 ,0191567, I Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

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.bodying the invention with a. part of the the complen'iental stitch-forming mecha- UNITED sra'rnis PATENT 0mm.

BERNARD T. LEVEQUE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE REECE BUT- TON HOLE MACHINE GOMFANY, 013 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS. A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

BUTTONHOL'E-SEXVING MACHINE;

019 1 Specification of Letters Yatent. Patented Mar. 5, 1912.

Application filed May 11, 1911. Serial No. 626,456.

To all whom itmay concern Be it known that I, Bnaxann '1. lnivnoei a subject of the King of Great Britain, residon substantially the line 3(13, Fig. 4; Fig. 7

inn at Boston. county of Suffolk, State of is a top plan view of the stitch block shown in Fig. i; Fig. 8 is a side view of the looper carrier; Fig. i) is a side view of the cam member for actuating the looper; Fig. 10 is a view of a detached part of said cam mechanism. Fig. 11 is a section on the line b--(i, big. 1; Fig. 12 is a section on the line 11*. Fig. 1.

hilassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Buttonhole-Sewing Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is a specification, like characters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention relates to buttonhole sewing machines of the type known to the trade as the Reece machine wherein a stitch l designates the main frame of the sewing; machine, 2 the clamp frame, 3 a portion of the stitch frame which is movably mounted on the machine and which carries at its front; frame carrying stitch it'ormii'ig mechanism end the needle bar t carrying the c ve-poi.ntand a -worksupporting or clamping; frame ed needle 5 which controls the upper thread are movable one with relation to the other to (J. The stitch frame has associated thereenable the stitching; to be carried on along with the bearings 7 and 8 in which the W- the sides of the buttonhole and about its enplemcntal stitch forming mechanism is turned end or eye. As illustrating some mounted, said complcmental stitch-forming sewing machines of this class. I would refer mechanism comprising a stitch block 9 reto United States Patents No. 491280, dated tatably mounted in the bearings 7 and 3 and Mai-ch28. 189:3. No. 655,631 dated Angust'i', supporting an lllltl Ol' thread carrier in the 1900. and No. (303.0119, dated ivlatch .11 1902, form of a needle 51 which is secured to a and No. 498,216 May 2!, i893. needle carrier 50 that os illates in a curved .In sewing umchines of this type the stitch groove, formed in the per. ion -18) of the stitch frame sustains an eye-pointed needle oarryblock. The stitch block 9 is provided with ing" the upper thread. and a com 'ilemcntal stitch-forming mechanism located below the stitch frame controls and operates an under thread that is concatenattal with the upper thread. in the formation of the stitch.

()ne of the objects of my invention to provide an improved comptemental stitchforming mechanism which is siniplitied in its construction over that shown in saidi prior patents and which has an improved mechanism for operating the looper, and till other object of the invention is to provide a novel form of take-up for the upper thread which cooperates with the manplcmental stitch-forming mechanism in the formation of the stitch.

Referring now to the drawings wherein l have illustrated the preferred embodiment of my invention, Figure it, is a side view of thefront portion of a sewing machine cmthe usual gear t?) which meshr with the segmental rack 100 and by which the requisite oscillatory movement is given to said block.

59 is the actuating shaft which extends axially through the sleeve 10 of the stitch block and by which the loopcr and under thread carrier 50 are operated said shaft being given its vertical reciprocating movement by means of the lever it pivoted at 12. 'lhe'pa'rts thus far described are or may be all shown in said Patent No. (395,039 to which reference may be.- had, and as they form no part of the present invention I have not deemed it necessary to further describe them herein.

In the way of sinn'ilifying the complemade some im 'nrovemcnts in the means for actuating the needle carrier 50. As herein shown the shaft 59 has clamped thereto a sleeve 13 which is pri'ivided with a projecting stud 14 to which is fastened one end of a link 15, the other end of said link being piv tally connectedat 18 to an elbow-lever 16 that in turn is pivoted to the block 9 at 17. Said elbow-lever extends up through the an nular portion 20 of the block and at its upper end it has pivotal connection with a link 21 which is connected to the stud 22 frame broken out on the line l y, Fig. 2, to show the complcmental stitclnforming mechanism in elevation; Fig. 3 is a front View of Fig. 1 with part of the frame broken out; Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are different views of the stitch block and its associated parts forming nism 5 1* .ig. '6 is an enlarged sectional view mental stitch-forming mechanism I have i extending from the needle carrier 50 and playing in a slot in the part 49. The vertical movement of the shaft 59 will through the mechanism above described operate the under thread carrier 50, as will be obvious, and this construction. provides a simple but effective mechanism for securing this end.

Sincethe sleeve 13 is clamped to the shaft it is possible to adjustsaid sleeve vertically on the shaft. The advantage of this construction is that this adjustment of the sleeve provides means whereby'the position of the needle 51 can be adjusted relative to the position of the shaft and without disturbing or altering the 3-ositi--m'oi the looper or other parts of the sewing machine. "It issometimes desirable to be able thus to a just the position of the needle and the mechanism herein shown permits this to be done.

The looper of the complements stitch mechanism is shown at 63 and it is sustained by a looper carrier which is pivotelly mounted at 6 on the portion 49 of the block and which is given its operation by the vertical movements of the shaft as described in s idlzite'nt No. 695,039. The

motion which it is'necessar v to give to the looper is a compound one, that is, the looper' is required to move transversely ot the path of the needle 51 in two different directions. Qne feature of my invention relates to'the construction by which the loo-per is given its required movement and which vwill now be described The loo'oer carrier by, which the looper is sustained comprises the part '24- whieh is pivoted on the stud 64 that is sustained in the part &9 of the stitch block and the looper holder to which the looper is directly connected and which is swiveled to the part 24%.. As herein shown the looper holder 25 is provided with a stem 26 which is loosely received in a recess 2? formed in one arm of the member 24, said stem 26 extending at right angles to the stud 6 so that the looper holder may have av turning movement in the part 24 about an axis at right angles to said 1d 65', The art 24; is provided with the cum slot in which is received a stud 490 carried by the upper end of the shaft 59, all as shown in' said Patent l lo. 695.039 wherebv the vertical movement of the shaft 59 will oscillate the looper carrier about the stud 64:. In. order to elect the turning movement oi the looper holder 25 relative to the part 24 l have provided a com member 29 provided with; a hub 30 which encircles and can turn about the sleeve or boss 31 formed on the part 24 as clearly seen in Fig. 6. This cam member is also provided with a cam slot 82 in which the stud. 490 is received, and said inem has associated therewith a port 34 6d with an aperture adapted. to co the rounded head 36 of a stud 37 ends laterally from the looper holder The part 34: may be either integral with the com member 29 or may be made as a separate part adjustably secured thereto. shown in the drawings and. the part 3 l is shown as having the slot 38 through which is entered a stud screw 39 that screws into the arm 33 of the cam member 29, this providing for a fine adjustment of the aperture 35.

From the above it will be readily seen that if the cam member 29 is turned relative to the looper carrier, such relative movement will cause a slight turning of the looper holder 25 on its stem 26 due to'the action of the part 34 on the head of the stud 37. The head of the stud is rounded as shown in Fig. 6 so that the parts will not be cramped by any such actioii.

The cam slot 32 is of a diderent shape from the cam slot 28, so that when the shaft '59 is raised the projection-490 will act first on the cam member 29 thereby rocking the latter relative to the looper carrier 24% with the result that the looper holder 25 is turned s on the part 24 to give the looper a movement'to the left Fig. 3 and thereafter the stud 4-90 acts on the looper carrier to turn the letter about the stud 64' thereby to cause the loober to move toward the right from the position shown in Fig. 4.

The difference in the outline of the cam grooves 32-and 28 will. he clearly seen from an inspection of Figs. 8 and 9. In Fig. 8, for i'nstance, the cam groove 28 has the relatively long-straight side or dwell 40 which merges into the rise 41 that 'is situated at the center or upper portion of the cam, said rise in turn merging into a straight portion or dwell 84. On the other hand, the cam roove 32 has the relativel short strai ht is .l z:

portion or swell H at the lower end, a rise 4-3 which is situated near the lower end of the groove, and a longer straight portion or dwell 83 at the top. As a result when the shaft 59 elevated the stud 490 will engage the rise 43 of the cam groove 32 while said stud is still moving over the straight portion or dwell 40 of the cam groove 28, thereby to cause the cam member 29150 turn relative to the member 24, such turning movement The latter is the constructionrocking the looper holder 25 thereby to move the looper to the left Fig. 3, and as the stud 4-90 continues its upward movement it will engage the rise 41 of cam groove 28, thus swinging the looper to the right 4, and as the stud enters the straight portion 83 of the cam groove 32 the parts and 24 will have a movement" relative to each other which will cause the looper to move to the right Fig. 3.

i The shapes of the cam grooves 28 and 32 relative to each other aresuch that as the stud 490 moves up and down the looper holder 25 and the looper 63 will be given the requisite compound movement to cause it to wardly to carry the under.

engage the loop of needle thread, and then to draw said loop to one side or expand it and put said loop into position to be entered by the under needle 51, and then to shed the loop, all as necessary in carrying out the stitching operation, and as will be clear to those skilled in the art. comparatively simple and can be operated with great rapidity and has the further advantage that the looper is at all times moved positively in all directions and does not depend for any of its nuivemcnts on t spring. Another improvement which I have embodied in the complemental stitch-'lorming merl'ianism relates to the take-up for the under thread 44. Said thread passes up through the shaft 59, as described in said Patent No. (395,039, and thence passes out through an elongated opening or slot 4-6 formed in said shaft. thence through a guide eye 47 carried on the end of an arm 48 that is secured to. the stitch block 9, thence through a tension device of any suitable construction, thence up inside of the ringshaped portion 20 to the thread guide 81 carried by the needle carrier 50, and thence to the under needle 51. The parts are so disposed that in the operation of the machine when the needle carrier 50 moves forneedle 531 up through the slit in the work the thread required for this forward movement.- of the under needle is furnished by the ,slack in f the bight 54 that is given up by the forward movement of th'e thread guide 81, and when the under needle 51 reaches the limit ot' its movement the thread will be drawn taut. When the needle carrier begins its backward movement the thread will at first be some what slack, but when the needle carrier has been retracted to such a point that the thread guide 81 is carried to the right of the'portion ot the ring 20 with which the thread Contact. then the further backward movement of the thread guide forms a bight 54 in the thread, and in forming this bight the-thread is taken up sulliciently to tighten or set thestiteh and to draw on the supply end .of the thread through the tension 33. I propose to use a fairly heavy tension 5Z5. Vith my improvements, there fore, the stitch is set by the backward movement of the needle carrier 50 co-aeting with the tension 53 and without the necessity of a takcup or other moving part. such as employed in Patent No. 695,039. The omission of the take-up simplifies very much and reduces greatly the number of parts of this complemental stitclrforming mechanism.

In the machine shown 111 said prior. patcuts the upper thread Gwhich is ol'introlled by the eye-pointed needle 5 passes over a movable take-up shown at 96 m Patent No.

This mechanism is 498,216, May 23, 1893, such take-up being y operated by means of suitable cam mechanism for taking, up the slack in the upper thread (i at the proper time to etteci the setting of the stitch. in my improvement I have done away with this movable take-up and instead employ a stationary takeup which cooperates with the needle bar 4 to ell'ect the taking up of the slack oi' the llhread and the setting of the stitch. As herein shown, my inn'n'oved stationary takeup comprises a guide eye it) carried by a linger 71. that is coimcctcd to the stitch frame I; in any suitable way. as by means of a clamping screw 72. This take-up is of such a shape that the eye Tl) thereof comes substantially on a level with the top of the needle bar t when said bar is in its elevated position and said take-up is situated between said needle bar and the tension 73. As the needle bar 5 descend. the thread (5 is supported by the eye which thus takes up the slack in the thread that would be caused by the downward movement of the needle bar. said thread occupying the dotted line position Fig. 1 when the needle bar is in its lowered position. As the needle bar is elevated it acts on the thread to set the stitch and to draw oll a fresh supply. I find that with this stationary take-up the slack in the needle thread caused by the sewing operation is taken care of sutliciently so as to obviate any snarling, taugling, or breaking of the thread. and at the same time to set the stitch firmly. The substitution of this fixed take-up for the movable takeup and the-cam mechanismv shown in said Patent No. 498.216 simplifies Llxe construction oi the machine very much-and reduces materially the mnnbcr of parts.

The studs ll and 18 are provided with ball-shaped ends and the link 15 is provided at its ends with sockets to receive the ball, thus making, a flexible connection between the shaft 59 and the elbow lever 16. larly the stud 2:5 is provided with a ball end which is embraced by a socket 88 carried on the link 21. it will be noted that the lever 16 stands at a slight inclination so i as to operate in a plane approximately parl allcl to that in which the needle carrier 50 opt-rates. 'lhe l all-inul-socket joint 8S,bow-

ever, permits the parts to operate freely even though the lever ltl is not in absolute alinemcnl. Further. the ball-and-socket joints between the link 15 and the studs l-il and'lS permit the lever it: to be operated without any binding or cramping.-

llaving fully described my invention, what, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:-

in a buttonhole sewing machine, the combination with a needle for controlling the upgisenthread and meansfor operating it, of supplemental under thread-carrying Simicam member thereby mechanism comprising an oscillatory block, a needle for the under thread susthined by said block, a shaft extending axially of the block, means to give the shaft a lcngitudinal movement, means to operate the neeule for the under thread by movement of the shaft, a looper also sustained by said block.

and connections between said shaft and looperby; which the latter-"is operated and its position is controlled positively at all times by the shaft.

2. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the combination with a needle for controlling the upper" thread it, of complemental under thread-carrying mechanism comprising an oscillatory block,

a needle for the under thread sustained byseid block, a looper also sustained by said block, and two cams movably sustained by said block, one operating to control positively at all times the movement of the looper in one direction and the other operat ing to control positively at all times the movement of the looperin another directidn.

3. Ina buttonhole sewing machine, the combination with a needle for controlling the upper thread and means for operating it, of complemental under thread-carrying mechanism comprising an oscillatory block, a needle for the under thread sustained by said block, a loo r carrier pivoted to the block and provi ed with a 9am groove, a

looper holder swiveled to said carrier, a

looper sustained by the holder, a cam member connected to the looper holder, and

reciprocating stud operating in said cam groove and also operating said cam mem-' ber thereby to give the looper its desired movement.

4. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the combination with a needle for controlling the upper thread, of a complement-a1 under thread-carrying mechanism including an oscillatory block, a needle for the under thread, an oscillating looper carrier, alooper holder pivoged to the looper carrier and provided wi h a laterally-extending stud, a looper sustained by said holder, a cam member connected to said stud and mounted to turn about the axis of movement of the looper carrier, and means for operating the to oscillate the looper holder in the looper carrier.

5. In a buttonhol sewing machine, the combination with a needle for controlling the upper thread, of a complement-a1 under thread-carrying mechanism including an 0s cillatory block, a needle for the under thread, an oscillating looper carrier, a looper holder pivoted to the looper carrier and pro.

mounted to move about the axis of the and means for operating machine, the

of a complement-a1 under thread-carrying mechanism including an ce ci'llatory block, a needle for the an -*r thread,. a looper carrier pivoted to said block and provided with a cam groove, looper holder swiveled to t e looper em and provided with a laterally-extend stud, a looper carried by said holder, member pivotedon the looper ea engaging said stud and also provided with cam groove, and a reciprocating member having a stud operating in both. of sail grooves whereby movement of the stud. will oscillate the cam member relative to the looper carrier and also oscillate the looper carrier thereby to give the looper re quired compound movement,

7. In a 'bnttonhole sewing nrn 'ine, the combination with an oscillator clock, oi: a reciprocating needle carried thereby, a loo carrier. pivoted thereto and having acam groove, a looper holder swiveled to the looper carrier and provided with laterally tending stud, a looper sustained by said holder, a cam member pivoted onthe looper carrier to turn shout the axis tlu ao a member 34t-adjustably connected to the can member and embracing said stud, and shaft reciprocating in said block and pro vidcd with a stud her and in the camgroove of the looper carrier thereby to give the proper movement to the looper. I

8. In bottonhole sewing machine, the combination witha needle for controlling the upper thread, of a complemental under thread carrier mechanism ineludi' g an cillatory block, a needle forthennder thread, an oscillating looper carrier, looper holder pivoted to the looper carrier to turn about an axis substantizitlly a t 'right angles to t of the looper carrier, said looper holder in ing" a stud extending laterally parallel to the axis of the looper carrier, a looper sus tained by Sl3lll10ld43l,it controlling member turning about tho-axis'of movement of the looper carrier and connected to said stud, and means for operating said. controlling member thereby to move the looper relative to the looper carrier.

9. In. a buttonhole sewing machine, the

combination with a needle,- for controlling the upper thread, of a complemental under thread-carrying mechanism comprising an oscillatory block, a needle carrier oscillating therein and provided with a. stud, an elbow lever pivoted to the block and connected to said stud, a shaft 59 reciprocatin' said block, a sleeve clamped to said siaft and having a laterally-extended stud with a hall a needle for controlling acting on said cam mean end, a ball-ended stud extending from the the upper thread, of a complemental under thread-carrying mechanism comprising an oscillatory block, a shaft reciprocating in said block, a looper operated by said shaft, a needlecarrier oscillating in said block and provided with a stud, an elbow lever pivoted to the block and connected to the stud, and an adjustable connection between said shaft and said lever and including a link pivotally connected to each and by which longitudinal movement of the shaft oscillates the lever, the adjustability of said connection permitting said lever and the needle to be adjusted relative to the shaft and looper mechanism.

11. Ina buttonhole sewing machine, the combinationwith a needle .fo'r controlling the upper thread, of a complemcntal under thread-carrying mechanism comprising an oscillatory block, a shaft reciprocating in said block, a Iooper operated by said shaft, a needle carrier oscillating in said block and provided with a stud, an elbow lever pivoted to the block and connected to said stud, a sleeve adjustably connected to said shaft and having a laterally-extending stud, a stud extending from said elbow lever, and a link connecting said two latter studs, the adjustability of the sleeve on the shaft providing for adjustment of the needle relative to the loopcr.

12. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the combination with a needle for controlling the. upper thread, of a complemental under thread carrier mechanism comprising an oscillatory block, a needle carrier oscillating therein, an elbow lever pivoted to the block and connected to said carrier, a shaft reciprocating in he block, and adjustable conncctions between said shaft and lever, said connections including a sleeve clamped to the shaft, and a link connecting said sleeve with the lever. t

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

BERNARD T. IIEVEQUE.

\Vitnesses FREDERICK W. DAVISON, E. PAUL Sononz. 

